In short, the Bill will provide for three categories of critical infrastructure, significant critical infrastructure, major critical infrastructure and vital critical infrastructure. Ministers who have responsibility for infrastructure to assess that infrastructure using prescribed ‘criticality assessment methodology’. Once the infrastructure has been assessed it is to be recorded on the Victorian Critical Infrastructure Register that will be maintained by Emergency Management Victoria. The entity responsible for critical infrastructure will be required to ensure that there is a relevant emergency management plan that is audited every 12 months. Relevant officers with emergency management or counter-terrorism responsibilities may access the register to obtain details of the infrastructure and who is responsible for that infrastructure.

The Bill will, if passed, come into force on 1 July 2015 unless proclaimed to commence earlier.